James
PENTON was born on the 21st November 1894 in Norton Canes, Staffordshire, and was the fifth eldest of 11 children (5 boys and 6 girls) born to parents Thomas PENTON and
Sarah Alice PENTON (nee BARKER)

Thomas
PENTON a Coal Miner fromBrownhills, Staffordhire, married Sarah Alice BARKER on the 26th July 1886 at the Parish Church of Saint James the Great, in Norton Canes. On
marriage, Thomas was a bachelor aged 23, and Sarah was a spinster from Norton
Canes, also aged 23. They were married by the curate Walter William BOULTON in
the presence of John PENTON and Eliza Ann PENTON

Thomas
PENTON died in Cannock aged 77 in 1939, and his wife Sarah Alice PENTON died in
Cannock aged 78 in 1942

James PENTON is
the great uncle of Michael INSKIP

His birth
was registered atCannock Registry
Office in the March quarter of 1894, volume 6b page 541. He was baptised at
Norton Canes Primitive Methodist Church. He attended Norton Canes Boys School

James was baptised at the Trinity (Primitive)
Methodist Church in Norton Canes on 20 December 1894 and his birth was
registered at Cannock Register Office in the first quarter of 1895. Like his
elder brother, James attended Norton Canes Boys School

By the
time of the 1901 census, he was living in Norton
Canes with his parents

On the
1911 census, 2nd April James was living with his parents and seven
siblings at 27 St Johns Road Cannock. He was aged 17, single and working down
the mine, a Trammer underground. His father and two of his brothers also worked in the coal mine

(*1) Extract from 1911 Census

As he grew up, James took an interest
in boxing, and had a promising career ahead of him, but on the onset of the First World War,
James signed up in the Army. His younger brother Harry PENTON had already enlisted in 1913, aged just 17, and his elder brotherThomas PENTONsigned up in January 1915. He was still a Miner when he was medically examined. He enlisted
at Hednesford on the 2nd September 1914 and joined the Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (8th Battalion
South Lancashire Regiment) as Private 15298

(The 8th Battalion was formed in Warrington in Sep 1914 and attached to the 75th Brigade, 25th Division. Units were assembled around Salisbury in Sep
1914 and then moved to Aldershot in May 1915 for final training. It crossed to
France 25 -30 September and was deployed around the area of Nieppe (now on the
Franco Belgian border)

Harry his
younger brother, had already enlisted in 1913, aged just 17, and Thomas his
elder brother to had enlisted in 1915 aged 24

James was
sent to Bournemouth for his training. Whilst there, he continued his boxing,
and fought many fights and won several Open Boxing Competitions, including Cup
and Gold Medal

(*2) James centre with army mates acting as seconds (*3) James posing (*4) James back right, army mates acted as seconds

James was
sent to Armentieries, France, and disembarked there on the 28th September 1915. Just after three months into his posting, he was serving in
Ploegsteert Wood. On the 14th January 1916 James was shot and killed by a sniper. He was aged 22

James was
buried at Rifle House Cemetery III. B. 4., Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, South
Western Belgium. There are 228 servicemen buried in the cemetery, which lies
between Messines and Ypres

(*5)
Rifle House Cemetery Entrance (*6)
Rifle House Cemetery

(*7) Rifle House Cemetery Plan showing the location of James PENTON's grave (*8) James headstone

James
death is recorded in the book ‘Walsall & District, The Roll of the Great War 1914-1919'

(*9) The Roll of the Great War’ (*10) Entry in
‘The Roll of the Great War’

James home
address was 33 St John’s Road, Cannock, the same as his brother Harry

James was awarded the 1914 - 1915 Star Medal, the British War Medal and the
Victory Medal (posthumously)